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Deacons Jumin Paul Park, Cameron Pollette, Francis Mary Joseph Coyne, COSJ and Beomjung John Hwang stand with Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone Aug. 8 at St. Pius, Redwood City after their ordination to the diaconate. (St. Patrick's Seminary courtesy photo)
Aug. 10, 2020
Nicholas Wolfram Smith
On Aug. 8, Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone ordained four men as transitional deacons at St. Pius Parish, Redwood City. Cameron Pollette, an Archdiocese of San Francisco seminarian, was ordained along with Contemplatives of St. Joseph Brother Francis Joseph Mary Coyne and Beomjung John Hwang and Jumin Paul Park, Diocese of Suwon, Korea.
The liturgy was held outside because indoor religious services were prohibited starting August 2, after the county was placed on California’s COVID-19 watch list due to an increase in coronavirus cases.
Archbishop Cordileone reminded the seminarians about the dual roles of service and friendship that all followers of Christ are called to. Friends of God enjoy being in his presence and spending time with him, and obey what God commands, the archbishop said.
"Obedience to his command naturally flows from being loved by him. It is not our doing to make ourselves his friends, but we show we are his friends by loving one another as he has loved us," Archbishop Cordileone said.
Friendship with Christ does not mean that Christians no longer need to serve him, however. Archbishop Cordileone said the diaconate since the early church has been associated with acts of service and charity. He reminded the seminarians that their service is to "do for others what Christ has done for them.
“Deacons are called through the witness of their service to be publicly appointed ambassadors for the church and share that love of Jesus with others," he said.
The vocation to service the seminarians embark on as deacons will be deepened at their priestly ordination, the archbishop said.
“Priestly ordination will mean for you not a promotion but a fulfillment of the vocation God has planted in your heart. The priest does not cease being a servant but on the contrary is a servant in a more complete sense, because his priestly character qualifies him to be entrusted with the full care of souls,” he said.